Pint of Postdoc Speaker Recap - Dr. Christian Ruiz

“Identifying dietary drivers of pancreatic cancer”

Dr. Christian Ruiz

Edited by:

Jennifer Blackburn (assisted by Aileen Fernandez)

Abstract:

Human epidemiologic studies support a strong link between increased pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) risk and high-fat diet (HFD) consumption, obesity, and overall energy imbalance. The translational relevance of diet research, however, has been limited by inconsistencies in fat source and consumption across human populations and mouse studies. Furthermore, the gut microbiota, which can be altered by obesity, has emerged as an influential factor in PDAC pathogenesis. The overarching goal of Christian Ruiz’s project is to identify mechanisms by which altered host metabolic states – through diet, obesity, or the gut microbiome – drive cancer progression. 

For the March 2021 Pint of Postdoc series, Christian shared how he combines an innovative and diverse HFD panel, unique reversible models of obesity and PDAC, quantitative measures of host physiology, and new methods for microbial characterization, to link high-fat diet consumption, obesity, and gut microbiota to PDAC progression. Together, this work will uncover and functionally validate dietary and microbial metabolites as cancer drivers to target for the prevention and treatment of PDAC and potentially other obesity-associated cancers.